Why Can't We Be Lonely Together?
by We Can Be Gorgeous
Summary: A Collins/Angel story with a cheating boyfriend, a gay bar, some karaoke, and random, cute, in-the-park dancing. :


**A/N: So I was listening to my XM radio (it's always on the Broadway station of course!) and this song from Louisiana Purchase came on and a plot bunny came hopping by and crashed into it. This is the result of that crash! I think it's cute.**

**Disclaimer: The late **_**great**_** Larson owns the characters and Irving Berlin owns the song (I think. If I'm wrong, correct me!)**

"Annnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllll! You have to get out of here!" Mimi whined, pulling at the morose drag queen's arm. Angel just groaned into his pillow and pulled his arm back. Considering that he just found out that Jason, his boyfriend of four years was cheating, he wasn't exactly in a 'party' mood.

"Mimi, please," he groaned, "I really don't want to do anything." Angel grabbed all the blankets that Mimi had pulled off, back over his head. His Latina friend jumped on top of him and started the tickling. Not many people knew this, but Angel Dumott-Schunard was extremely ticklish. "Mimi!" Angel squealed, squirming, trying to get Mimi away. "Fine! Fine, okay? We can go out!"

"Yay!" Mimi shrieked. She ran to Angel's closet and pulled out his favorite pair of sparkly jeans and a tight red shirt. She threw them onto Angel who had finally emerged from his blanketed cocoon of depression. "Now get dressed. We're going out!"

After taking his sweet time, Angel emerged looking like his gorgeous, natural self. Mimi looked him over and smiled. "You know, Jason has no idea what he's missing!"

"Hey, if we're going out tonight, no 'J' word, okay?" Angel commanded. Mimi pursed her lips and made a gesture as if locking her lips and throwing the key. She giggled and pulled Angel out the door.

A few blocks away, Thomas Collins sat at the metal table of the flat that he shared with two of his friends. Since he was a teacher at NYU, he was stuck grading papers at home almost every time, leaving very little time for dating or any other type of personal life. His roommate Roger walked out of his bedroom, zipping up his leather coat. "Hey, I'm going out," he told Collins. "You want to come?"

Collins sighed and threw his last essay down in frustration. The day that all of his students did the whole essay perfectly, would be the day hell froze over. He stared at his paper for a second before saying, "Yeah," and grabbing his coat from the hanger. Roger man-patted his shoulder and laughed. "It's been forever since you've had a night out."

"Tell me about it," Collins sighed. He pulled a cigarette out, lit it, and took a drag. "I swear that my 2 month old nephew is smarter than my students."

"I've read some of your students' crap, and _I _could've written better stuff," Roger remarked. He looked around the street that they were on. A neon sign caught his eye. "Karaoke," he decided with a huge grin.

"Hell no, man," Collins said. "There is no way I am listening to a bunch of drunks singing Journey." He began to back away, but Roger grabbed his arm and dragged him back.

"You're getting a night out, and this is how it's going, whether you like it or not," Roger declared, having to physically pull his friend into the bar. Finally, Collins gave in and grumbled, "Fine, but I'm not singing."

On the mini-stage, a small Latina was belting out "On My Own" from the seminal Broadway classic, Les Miserables. To Collins' ears' happiness, she was really good; he even applauded when she hopped down to join, who he assumed was, her boyfriend. Roger appeared with two drinks as the emcee announced that he would be drawing the next two singers from a hat. "Our first victim, I mean contestant," he joked, "is Angel Dumott-Schunard!" The Latina's supposed boyfriend was identified by his girlfriend's squeals. He drudged up to the stage and that's when Collins saw him. He had a perfect face, lovely caramel skin that shone in the stage lights, and had a really nice body with fantastic legs from what Collins could tell from the tight clothes he wore.

"Dude," a voice said. It sounded like Roger. Collins came out of his little world in time to hear "You're on, man!" He felt himself being pushed onto the stage. He stumbled forward and into the gorgeous man already up there.

The emcee chuckled at this. "Whoa! It looks like Tom here has had too much to drink!" The audience laughed as Collins muttered a 'sorry' and straightened himself out. "Well, it's not matter. This _is _The Manhole after all!" The audience cheered wildly at this. _Roger brought me to a gay bar? _Collins thought. He found Roger in the crowd and saw him raise his glass in a 'cheers' salute before throwing back the shot. "Here we go! From the hit show Louisiana Purchase, You're Lonely and I'm Lonely."

Angel and Collins looked nervously at each other before Angel started with "We're all alone and we're sad, like two babes in the wood."

"But things would not seem so bad if we weren't so good. If we cuddled up as we should," Collins continued. They both crooned "You're lonely, and I'm lonely, so why can't we be lonely together?"

"The night is young and while we grow older, we can forget, crying on each other's shoulder," Angel sang. "The sky is cloudy 'cause we're lonely, but soon we'll see a change in the weather."

"Two hearts beating as one can be mis'rable and still have a lot of fun," Collins finished lowly. The crowd clapped and cheered as they stepped down. "Do you want a drink?" Angel asked, awkwardly.

"After karaoke, I think that's mandatory," Collins joked. "Will your girlfriend mind?"

"Oh, Mimi? She's just my friend. We've been close since second grade when I moved here from the Dominican," Angel explained. "What about the guy you were with? Any deep connections there?"

"Nah, Roger's just my roommate. I live with him and this other guy Mark. We've been the three amigos since eighth grade," Collins explained. He turned to the bartender and said, "Anything with Stoli." He gestured to Angel who just said, "Whatever he's having."

Collins whistled. "Brave, are we?"

Angel smiled coyly. "Very." Their order came up and he took it and threw it back. Big mistake. Angel started coughing all over the place, choking on the hard liquor. Collins hit him on the back a bit, hoping it would help, but he managed to hear Angel choke out "Outside."

He helped him out to the cool night air. Angel leaned against the brick wall and caught his breath. He blushed and said, "Sorry. I didn't mean to make a fool out of myself."

"It's okay. It was pretty hard stuff," Collins pointed out. He looked around and up. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Think my girlfriend and your boyfriend can handle being left alone in a gay bar?" Angel asked with a giggle. He quickly grabbed Collins' hand as they headed towards the nearest park. "I just want to let you know that I just got out of a bad relationship and--"

"It's fine. I haven't dated anyone in years," Collins reassured.

"You didn't let me finish," Angel reprimanded. "I have AIDS. Bastard cheated and gave me it."

Collins felt very surprised that someone would admit that as soon as he had. "I do too. I was born with it, but it's scared off every date I've ever had."

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Angel asked, "Well, you know what that means then?" Collins shook his head. "It means that you're lonely and I'm lonely, so why can't we be lonely together?" Angel sang lightly. Collins chuckled. He noticed a small string quartet playing a beautiful song and stopped. He saw a few couples, straight and gay, dancing around in slow, loving circles. He pulled on Angel's hand and inquired "Want to dance?"

Angel smiled and looped his arms around Collins' neck and began to sway. He rested his head on Collins' shoulder and closed his eyes, breathing in and listening to the soft thump of a heartbeat. Collins stroked the small of Angel's back. Angel sighed happily and, daringly, leaned up and gently pressed his lips to the other man's. It was a kiss filled with more sweetness, passion, and love than Angel had ever felt with Jason, let alone any other boyfriend. When they parted, Angel released his arms and grabbed Collins' hand. "Come on," he said, leading the way from the park, "Let's go be lonely together."

**A/N: Oh how different it turned out than I thought it would! But I like it. Kind of. It seems almost rambling-y in some parts, but I'm super picky. And I don't think I got all the lyrics right. :/ Whatever! I'd love a review! :D **


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